Bangladesh, Malaysia to jointly investigate militancy allegations involving Bangladeshi nationals

Bangladesh has pledged to cooperate with Malaysian authorities in investigating recent allegations of militancy involving Bangladeshi nationals arrested in Malaysia, Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has said.

He said during a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato' Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan on the sidelines of the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur today (11 July), reads a press release.

Expressing concern over the arrests, Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain reiterated Bangladesh's firm zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and militancy.

He requested full cooperation from the Malaysian government in allowing Bangladesh to conduct its own investigation into the allegations, including through the exchange of intelligence and investigative findings.

The Malaysian foreign minister assured full cooperation and pledged to facilitate access to information for Bangladeshi authorities.

Earlier in the day, Touhid held a meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

The two leaders discussed a broad range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral issues, including Bangladesh's ongoing reform initiatives, the Rohingya humanitarian crisis, and support for Bangladesh in the post-LDC (Least Developed Country) graduation phase.

The foreign adviser also held separate meetings with the foreign ministers of New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and South Korea — Winston Peters, Hon Vijitha Herath, and Park Yoonjoo respectively — where discussions covered bilateral cooperation and regional challenges.

During the ARF Ministerial Meeting, the foreign adviser delivered Bangladesh's national statement, calling for greater regional attention to the protracted Rohingya crisis, with emphasis on its implications for both national and regional security. He also urged ASEAN members to consider Bangladesh's proposal to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner, enhancing its engagement within the regional framework.

Bangladesh has been an active member of the ASEAN Regional Forum since 2006 and is currently co-chairing two key ARF priority areas: "Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime" and "Disaster Relief."

The next session of the Ministerial Meeting will be held in Manila in 2026, the release added.

Touhid was accompanied by Md Shameem Ahsan, high commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia, Md Forhadul Islam, director general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other senior officials of the Bangladesh government.